Hancock County and Muncie-Delaware County were awarded the title at the 2016 Indiana Health and Wellness Summit September 21-22 in downtown Indianapolis. The annual summit is the largest gathering of wellness professionals in Indiana, and was presented in partnership with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Wellness Council of Indiana, the Indiana State Department of Health, INShape Indiana and the American Diabetes Association.

To be considered an Indiana Healthy Community, communities must apply to the WCI and meet eight key components, including working with various community leaders, getting citizens involved, analyzing political atmospheres and ensuring environments are best for making healthy choices. Part of the requirements include having a certain number of businesses certified as AchieveWELL companies, a WCI designation for individual organizations (see AchieveWELL information and list below).

Additionally, community leaders identify short-term and long-term strategies to ensure a healthy community for all citizens. WCI representatives assist communities in providing best practices for achieving community goals.

“The premise of the Indiana Healthy Community Initiative is to drive economic growth and development for communities, so that when companies want to relocate or start in Indiana, they’re looking at communities where health is a priority,” WCI Executive Director Chuck Gillespie says.

“And in these areas – like in Delaware and Hancock counties – what companies will find are healthier employees and families, lower insurance costs and a productive workforce.”

Six other counties – Putnam, Howard, Dubois, Kosciusko, Monroe and Hendricks – are all in various stages of involvement with the Indiana Healthy Community Initiative.

Locations interested in becoming Indiana Healthy Communities can visit the WCI web site at http://www.wellnessindiana.org (Healthy Communities tab) for more information and to apply.

The Wellness Council of Indiana is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

AchieveWELL Companies

At the same event, the WCI honored a record 37 Hoosier organizations with new AchieveWELL certification. Groups working toward creating a corporate culture that encourages and supports employee health through worksite wellness programs are eligible for the designation. AchieveWELL provides an independent assessment of wellness processes and is divided into three levels: Three Star, Four Star and Five Star. The standards are progressive through the Five-Star Award.

New AchieveWELL Three-Star recipients:

3 Rivers Federal Credit Union – Fort Wayne

Batesville Community School Corporation – Batesville

City of Greenfield – Greenfield

Complete Wellness Solutions – Fort Wayne

DeKALB Molded Plastics – Butler

Delaware County – Muncie

Greenfield Banking Company – Greenfield

Greenfield Daily Reporter – Greenfield

Hancock Physician Network – Greenfield

HealthLinc – Valparaiso

Herman & Kittle Properties, Inc. – Indianapolis

Indiana State University – Terre Haute

Indiana University Health – Indianapolis

Indianapolis Indians – Indianapolis

IndyGo – Indianapolis

Inskeep Ford – Greenfield

Kimball International – Jasper

LifeStream Services – Yorktown

Muncie Community Schools – Muncie

Muncie Power Products, Inc. – Muncie

Mursix Corporation – Yorktown

YMCA of Muncie – Muncie

Unified Group Services – Anderson

USI Insurance – Carmel

New AchieveWELL Four-Star Recipients:

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions – Indianapolis

Gregory & Appel Insurance – Indianapolis

Henriott Group – Lafayette

Monarch Beverage – Indianapolis

Muncie Indiana Transit System – Muncie

Riverview Health – Noblesville

State of Indiana – Indianapolis

Steinberger Construction, Inc. – Logansport

New AchieveWELL Five-Star Recipients:

Hancock Regional Hospital – Greenfield

Indiana University – Bloomington

IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital – Muncie

Jasper Engines & Transmissions – Jasper

Mulzer Crushed Stone – Tell City

Without dictating how worksite wellness programs are conducted, the AchieveWELL process offers a clear understanding of the necessary components of successful worksite wellness and recognizes excellence in the field of health promotion. Helpful tools, templates and personal coaching are offered to those aspiring to become AchieveWELL organizations.

The AchieveWELL program is free to members of the Wellness Council of Indiana. For information on joining the Wellness Council, visit www.wellnessindiana.org or call (317) 264-2168.

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The Indiana Chamber partners with 25,000 members and investors – representing over four million Hoosiers – to achieve the mission of “cultivating a world-class environment which provides economic opportunity and prosperity.”